Plant-Based Coconut Curry Dal And Rice

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ gas 7

Peel and finely dice your brown onion[s]

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick with a matching lid) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium heat

Once hot, add the diced onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 3-4 min or until softened

Boil a kettle

Chop your creamed coconut roughly (if required!)

Deseed your pepper[s] (scrape the seeds and pith out with a teaspoon) and chop into bite-sized pieces

Rinse your red lentils in a sieve under cold running water

Once the onion has softened, add your ginger & garlic paste to the pan with your curry powder and the rinsed red lentils

Cook for 1 min or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add your chopped tomatoes, chopped pepper and chopped creamed coconut with a generous pinch of salt and pepper

Add 450ml [675ml] [900ml] boiled water with your vegetable stock mix and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, for 15-20 min, stirring occasionally, until all the water is absorbed and the lentils are tender – this is your coconut curry dal

Add your white long grain rice to a pot with a lid with 225ml [300ml] [450ml] cold water and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 12-15 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked

Once done, remove from the heat and set aside (lid on) to steam until serving

Meanwhile, trim your green beans

Add the trimmed green beans to a large piece of tin foil (or two!) with a small pinch of salt, 1 tbsp [1 1/2 tbsp] [2 tbsp] cold water and a knob of butter

Scrunch the foil around the green beans to form a tightly sealed parcel[s] and add to a baking tray (or two!)

Put the tray[s] in the oven for 10-12 min or until the green beans are tender with a slight bite